By Our Correspondent

Angry protesters from Asaba, Delta State have given an insight to what led to their recent Protest.

The protesters made up of Asaba indigenes, Okpanam, Issele-azagba, Ogbolu, Ibusa and other neighbouring communities barricated all the major locations in Asaba including government house.

They said they were infuriated by plans to relocate and rename the state capital.
They cautioned the brains behind the agitation to desist from what they described as retrogressive proposal.

The Delta State Governor Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwore however called for calm.
while addressing the protesters, the governor said both the creation of a new state and the determination of its capital were collective decisions guided strictly by constitutional procedures and the will of the people.

The Governor stated this while addressing the crowd of protesters who staged a protest to the government house to express their apprehension over the rumours that the capital of the proposed state could be relocated from the city.

The Chief of Staff, Hon. Johnson Erijo, who spoke on behalf of the governor, commended the protesters for their peaceful conduct, adding that the protest reflected a unified stance of the entire Asaba community.

The governor reiterated that no individual or group holds the authority to unilaterally decide the capital of a proposed state, stressing that such matters will undergo a rigorous constitutional process.
“The creation of a state requires a structured constitutional pathway. There must be memoranda, legislative deliberations and even a referendum where the people of Delta North will speak. No one can wake up and decide where the capital will be, he assured.”

According to him, legislative caucus members and local government chairmen from Delta North had already met and unanimously kicked against any plan to relocate the proposed capital from Asaba.

The governor praised Asaba as a fast developing, safe and strategically located city that continues to attract people, adding that all decisions regarding the proposed Anioma State, would be anchored on fairness, logic and the peoples collective agreement.

“The government not act against the will and aspirations of the people. At the right time, the collective voice of Delta North will
determine every step, he assured.

He thanked the Asaba community for their stead fast support and for their roles as gracious hosts to the state government and residents, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to peace, unity and protection of the people’s interest.”
Earlier, the spoke person for the protesters, Mr. Chike Ifesiokwu, said the demonstration became necessary following the reports of an alleged plot to relocate the proposed state capital from Asaba
He condemned the rumoured move as evil, retrogressive, ill motivated and divisive, insisting that Asaba historical significance, political relevance and strategic positioning make it irreplaceable.

He cited the city’s rich pedigree, noting that Asaba has produced eminent national figures including a former Acting Governor General of Nigeria, the country’s first President of the Senate, the Premier of the old Midwest region and a judge of the Commonwealth Arbitral Tribunal.

By George Mgbeleke

Disturbed by the transfer of IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, from the Abuja Custodial Centre to Sokoto, Concerned Igbo Ministers Commission has condemned what it described as the politically motivated, insisting the move is intended to punish and frustrate him rather than serve the ends of justice.

In a press statement issued on Thursday signed by Rev. Tony Uzor Anthony, on behalf of the group, the commission said the decision “has nothing to do with justice, nothing to do with law and order, and everything to do with politics and punishment.”

The group faulted federal officials who cited insecurity in Abuja prisons, accusing them of turning their own administrative failures into a weapon against Kanu.

According to the statement, “Government officials keep repeating the excuse of ‘prison insecurity,’ yet they are the ones running the prisons. Instead of fixing their own failures, they now use those same failures as an excuse to keep frustrating one man. We say clearly:
It is wrong, it is unfair, and it is targeted.”

The commission also took aim at The Nation newspaper, accusing it of functioning as an extension of government propaganda aimed at undermining Kanu’s rights.

It said, “We note with disappointment the role of The Nation newspaper, which has now positioned itself as the main mouthpiece for this continued state harassment. Every time there is a government move to undermine Nnamdi Kanu’s rights, The Nation quickly publishes a story that tries to justify it — even when the facts are wrong or the reasoning makes no sense.”

The statement further read, “A newspaper that cannot tell the difference between a repealed law and an active one has no moral right to lecture the public.

A newspaper that refuses to investigate or cross-check facts should not be the one shaping public opinion on such a serious matter.

The Nation has chosen a side — and it is the side of repression.”

Transfer to Sokoto Seen as Deliberate Frustration

The group argued that relocating Kanu to Sokoto—one of the farthest points from the Abuja courts—was calculated to obstruct his legal rights and disrupt communication with his defence team.

It stated, “Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has ongoing legal rights, including appeals and meetings with his lawyers. Moving him to Sokoto — one of the farthest places from Abuja courts — is clearly meant to make his legal work difficult, if not impossible.

“If the government believes its own case is strong, why is it afraid of giving him proper access to his lawyers? Why hide him far away?
Why block easy communication?

“The answer is simple: this case has never been about justice.”

The ministers warned against the judiciary being used as a cover for political directives.

They said, “It is also important to remind Nigerians that it is not the job of any court to decide the exact prison where someone should be kept. That duty belongs to the Correctional Service, not judges acting under pressure.

“The attempt to dress political orders in the robe of the judiciary is one of the biggest problems in this case.”»

The statement called on the Federal Government to reverse the transfer and return Kanu to a facility within the Federal Capital Territory.

It declared, “The Concerned Igbo ministers commission calls for the immediate return of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to a custodial centre within the Federal Capital Territory, where he can properly exercise his rights and continue his legal processes without hidden obstacles.”

The statement warned that, “This constant mistreatment of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is not just about one man. It is a test of Nigeria’s commitment to fairness and the rule of law. If this type of behaviour continues unchecked, then no citizen is safe.

“We cannot and will not keep quiet.”

By Our Correspondent

The Senate Wednesday through its Ad – hoc committee investigating the collapse of Safe School Initiative , summoned the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy , Wale Edun , to appear before it on Tuesday next week .

Summoning of the Minister of Finance by the Ad – hoc committee headed by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu ( Abia North) , for appearance on Tuesday, followed adoption of its work plan during maiden meeting held on Wednesday.

Aside the Minister of Finance , other critical stakeholders of the collapsed initiatives , slated for summoning are the Minister of Education , Mr Tunji Alausa , Minister of Defence , Lt – Gen Christopher Musa , the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence , Dr Mohammed Abubakar Audi and representatives of school proprietors .

Briefing journalists at the inaugural sitting, Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, , vowed that the Senate would unravel all issues surrounding the initiative’s implementation and ensure full accountability.

He noted that over 1,680 schoolchildren have been kidnapped and 180 educational facilities attacked since 2014, describing the situation as “unacceptable for a nation committed to educational development and child safety.”

“It is unacceptable that our schools remain soft targets for terrorists and kidnappers,”.

“We will track every naira and every dollar allocated to the Safe School Initiative , some of which were the $30million mobilized between 2014 and 2021 aside the latest N144billion released for the initiative by the federal government .

” Nigerians deserve to know why, despite enormous investment and global support, our schools remain unsafe .

“The committee will undertake a comprehensive financial and operational audit, engaging federal ministries, state governments, security agencies, and civil society partners”, he said .

The committee according to him, owes Nigerian parents the responsibility to guarantee that their children can pursue education without fear just as he stressed that the probe is not targeted at any individual or institution, but aimed at strengthening accountability and transparency

Areas of investigation according to him, are (i) Utilisation of funds allocated since 2014, ( ii) Deployment and effectiveness of security personnel, (iii) Early warning and emergency response systems, ( iv) Infrastructure upgrades in vulnerable schools and ( v) Partnerships with international donors and private-sector contributors.

The investigation follows fresh national outrage triggered by the recent abduction of 25 female students from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State and over 200 others in St Mary Catholic School in Niger State .